Carmelo Anthony wed T.V. personality LaLa Vazquez over the weekend, but it was Chris Paul's alleged toast that made the news. (Louis Lanzano, AP)

Even at his own wedding, Carmelo Anthony couldn’t escape talk of his contract.

Anthony, who wed T.V. personality LaLa Vazquez at a restaurant in New York City over the weekend, watched a toast by New Orleans Hornets’ guard Chris Paul take the news.

According to the New York Post, Paul allegedly toasted “We’ll form our own Big 3” — in reference to himself, Anthony and the newest member of the Knicks, Amare Stoudemire. This, of course, on the heels of the party of three in South Beach.

I feel like we’re past the point of introductions, I’ve been here four years now. I’m practically furniture. But I’m Chris Dempsey, and this is the first of what I hope is a long running, off-beat (read: cool) online column.

Now, the purpose of this is to tell you what I feel, because, well, my better is better than your better. But we’ll impart information, involve you, sometimes slip-slide away from normal sports conversation and get to what we all really want to talk about. I’m that guy. This is that space. So be ready to voice your opinion.

Which leads us to this…

Funny how six days can change things: On Friday, we were all – myself included – bracing for the best Western Conference playoffs in the history of the NBA. The Eastern Conference? Who cared? Well, on Wednesday, it’s clear that the Eastern Conference playoffs have been better to this point. Save, of course, for the San Antonio-Phoenix series, which has been the single best first-round series so far.

The West? We had the Nuggets being blown out of Game 1. Dallas has been handled twice by New Orleans. Utah is going to sweep the severely undermanned Houston Rockets. Blah.

The East is where the trash talk (Washington), close games (Orlando over Toronto, Game 2), players rising to the occasion (LeBron James) and upset games (Philadelphia over Detroit, Game 1) have been. The games are compelling, the storylines are addicting, and it has been generally much more entertaining than the glitzy Western Conference. Well see if it stays that way.

The few and the brave longtime Colorado State men’s basketball followers will recall Buzz Williams, the recruiting dynamo of an assistant, who brought a pipeline of Texas talent to Fort Collins.

Not coincidentally, much of that Texas talent moved on, after Williams started climbing the coaching ladder.

First, he helped Billy Gillispie turn Texas A&M from a Big 12 doormat to an NCAA contender. He took a head coaching job at New Orleans, made it an instant Sun Belt competitor. After a year he bolted to Marquette citing post-Katrina facility issues.

Turns out, Williams can recruit more than Texas. Jersey City, N.J., St. Anthony standout Tyshawn Taylor told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the only way he wouldn’t withdraw his request for a scholarship release is if Williams succeeds new Indiana coach Tom Crean at the Big East school.

Williams’ voice mail box was naturally full Wednesday morning. So a text exchange followed. He said he’ll go to Indiana if he doesn’t get the top job at Marquette and meanwhile “pray 4my wife + kids” facing the prospect of another yet another move.
Just a week ago, his name was linked as an outside shot for the TCU job. While he was still at New Orleans, Williams was very interested in last spring’s CSU vacancy. ….

Former CSU turned Liberty coaches Dale Layer and Ritchie McKay, have a letter-of-intent from Seth Curry a 6-0 guard who is the younger brother of NCAA Tournament sensation Stephen Curry of Davidson.

…..
Looks like CSU isn’t the only college in the area firing coaches. The difference between Pam Tanner’s release at Denver and Jen Warden’s dismissal last week in Fort Collins? Tanner, like Layer a year ago, showed nothing but class with a prepared statement praising the institution and wishing the school well.

Warden, who gets paid for five years for just five regular season conference wins in three seasons (one fewer than Tanner had this past season) made herself unavailable for comment, and when she inadvertently answered a call offered “no comment” to a variety of questions.

Oh yes, the message on Warden’s cell phone is “I can’t wait to talk to you.”

Five observations from hanging around the Buffaloes for almost a week at the Independence Bowl:

1) Colorado needs to get quicker at the linebacker and defensive end positions. Fortunately, those appear to be areas of strength among the 2008 recruiting class, with oral commitments from several exceptionally athletic prospects. Read more…